Wakefield wheelchair user denied bus space

Just days after a Supreme Court ruling on wheelchair bus access, a Wakefield woman was told she couldn’t use a bus as a pushchair was on.

Kirsty Shepherd was trying to travel by bus from Rothwell to Wakefield when she was informed by an Arriva bus driver that she couldn’t get on due to him also carrying a pushchair.

However, unlike Doug Paulley’s case, which was taken to the Supreme Court, there was actually enough room to accommodate the wheelchair and the lady using the pushchair was willing to move. The driver, though, told Ms Shepherd that she couldn’t get on because he had a pushchair on and wouldn’t ask her to move.

The lady moved the pushchair voluntarily, but Ms Shepherd was still not allowed on board. The bus driver terminated the service at a bus stop and allowed passengers to disembark, before it continued with its journey later on.

Following the incident, Arriva Buses is investigating ‘as a matter of urgency’. It has spoken at length with Ms Shepherd and is looking at CCTV footage, as well as speaking to the people involved. The company has promised to deal swiftly with the investigation and conclude it as soon as possible.

The Supreme Court ruling following Mr Paulley’s case means that bus drivers have to do more to accommodate wheelchair users than just requesting that other passengers move from the space. If there is an unreasonable refusal to move then the driver has to consider further action, such as making it a requirement or remaining at the stop to encourage them to move.